Can Nikola Jokic still win NBA MVP? Why knee injury dashes Nuggets star's chances

1 week ago 2

Can Nikola Jokic still win NBA MVP? Why knee injury dashes Nuggets star's chances originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After he underwent an MRI on Tuesday, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic avoided the worst possible outcome from the knee injury he suffered in a loss to the Miami Heat on Monday night.

Jokic has a hyperextended left knee, but his ligaments are intact. Even still, the three-time NBA MVP is set for at least a month on the sidelines, which will impact his quest to join an exclusive group of MVP winners.

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All season, Jokic has been a firm favorite to win his fourth MVP award, which would make him one of only six players in league history to claim at least that many.

However, if Jokic does not return within 31 days of his knee injury, he will be ineligible for all postseason awards -- including MVP and All-NBA honors.

Jokic has played in all 32 of Denver's games this season, and he must return by the time the Nuggets host the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 29 to remain in MVP contention.

That would put Jokic at 17 games out, and the threshold for postseason award contention is 65 games played.

Unless Jokic makes a miraculous recovery and returns weeks earlier than expected, he will not win his fourth MVP award this season. It could bring with it more calls for commissioner Adam Silver to review the 65-game threshold, as few if any would argue that Jokic is not among the league's most valuable individual players.